Orange Beach, Alabama Short-Term Rental Market
Orange Beach, AL STRs averaged $338/night at 57.6% occupancy in April 2026 across 20,000+ active listings.
Quick Answer: Orange Beach, Alabama is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Gulf Shores/Mobile market area is 82%. average monthly revenue in the Gulf Shores/Mobile market area is $11,156. average daily rate in the Gulf Shores/Mobile market area is $495. the top operator in the Gulf Shores/Mobile market area is Vacasa with 1,878 listings. market score is 82/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the Gulf Shores/Mobile regional market, which includes Orange Beach. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Orange Beach.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Orange Beach, Alabama is part of the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach tourism corridor on the Alabama Gulf Coast, which drew an estimated 8.4 million visitors to Baldwin County in 2025. Visitors spent $923 million on lodging rentals in 2025, up from $871 million in 2024. As of April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $338 and occupancy of 57.6%, generating average monthly revenue of $5,296 per listing. RevPAR stood at $194.73.
Year-over-year momentum was strong: occupancy rose 8.9% while ADR dipped 2.4% and revenue grew 7.2%, indicating that volume gains are driving growth even as operators compete on price.
Active inventory totals approximately 20,079 listings, making Orange Beach one of the largest Gulf Coast STR markets. Entire-place properties represent 19,825, or 98.7% of the market. The platform distribution reflects a mature dual-channel market: 13,519 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO simultaneously, 3,565 on VRBO only, and 2,995 on Airbnb only. VRBO’s strength relative to Airbnb in this market reflects the traditional beach-house booking culture on the Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast.
The bedroom mix is weighted toward mid-size vacation units: 2-bedroom listings lead at 6,773, followed closely by 3-bedroom (6,650), 1-bedroom (3,049), 4-bedroom (2,268), and 5-bedroom-plus (1,323). The market’s total score of 82.33 is supported by strong rental demand (87.28), revenue growth (85.49), and investability (94.96), partially offset by weaker regulation (59.88) and seasonality (43.47) scores.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 39% |
| Feb | 64% |
| Mar | 69% |
| Apr | 50% |
| May | 64% |
| Jun | 80% |
| Jul | 79% |
| Aug | 54% |
| Sep | 52% |
| Oct | 53% |
| Nov | 34% |
| Dec | 30% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Orange Beach are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Gulf Shores/Mobile market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Gulf Shores/Mobile market as a whole, which includes Orange Beach, so these counts are not Orange Beach-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 1,878 | 81,402 | ★ 4.37 |
| 2 | Brett Robinson Vacation Rentals | 1,775 | 15,937 | ★ 4.53 |
| 3 | Liquid Life | 898 | 23,604 | ★ 4.59 |
| 4 | My Beach Getaways | 443 | 10,896 | ★ 4.58 |
| 5 | Beachball Properties | 420 | 13,232 | ★ 4.62 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Orange Beach?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Orange Beach are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 14.9% |
| vrbo | 17.8% |
| both | 67.3% |
Home Value Trends (Orange Beach)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Orange Beach are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Orange Beach — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Orange Beach requires operators to hold both a Vacation Rental License (costing $500 per year, renewed annually) and a city business license. The Vacation Rental License application requires a floor plan, site plan showing parking, an affidavit of code compliance, and a property inspection. The property owner or an authorized agent must be reachable by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week while the unit is occupied.
Overnight occupancy is capped by bedroom count: 2 guests for a studio or 1-bedroom, 4 for 2-bedroom, 6 for 3-bedroom, 8 for 4-bedroom, 10 for 5-bedroom, and 12 for 6-bedroom properties. Children aged 14 and under are exempt from these limits. Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers are required.
Zoning is the most significant constraint. STRs are permitted on Gulf-front parcels south of Perdido Beach Boulevard, inside Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), and in the RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, and MHS residential districts (excluding the beach overlay). Parcels outside these categories are limited to rentals of 180 days or longer. Buyers must verify zoning eligibility with the Orange Beach Planning and Zoning department before purchase.
There is no owner-occupancy requirement and no primary-residence rule. Lodging taxes total 16%: 10% city tax, 4% Alabama state tax, and 2% Baldwin County tax (the combined rate took effect September 1, 2023 when the city rate increased to 10%). Enforcement includes citations, fines, and license revocation for violations.
Market Comparison
Orange Beach’s April 2026 occupancy of 57.6% is above the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, and the 2025 annual average of 56.5% also exceeds the national benchmark. ADR of $338 is well above the national STR median of approximately $220, reflecting Gulf Coast beach pricing at a premium location.
The 9.3% gross yield is among the higher-yielding Gulf Coast markets in this analysis, competitive with Navarre, FL (14.2% gross yield) but constrained by higher home values. Revenue growth of 7.2% year-over-year in April 2026 and the 2025 annual average of $5,321 (up from $5,086 in 2024) demonstrate consistent upward momentum.
The operator landscape is highly consolidated. Vacasa leads with 1,878 listings and 81,402 reviews at a 4.37 average rating. Brett Robinson Vacation Rentals is second with 1,775 listings and 15,937 reviews at a 4.53 rating. Liquid Life operates 898 listings with 23,604 reviews at a 4.59 rating. These three operators together account for 4,551 listings, approximately 22.7% of total active inventory, making Orange Beach one of the most professionally managed Gulf Coast markets in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions About Orange Beach, Alabama
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